i\rARCH 11, 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
405 
hours, an I the former were in the liahit of encroaching on 
the latter. All iiresent were aware there had been, some 
years since, an arrangement of the classes at a Congress 
similar to the present. The pri7;e lists had been arranged, 
and a proper balance settled. The Dorkings and Creve- 
coenrs had confined thems(dves to their (twn classes, and the 
Colander had, little by little,enforced his claim to intrude on 
the Ser.ai'-ta-ook’s class. He had been allowed to do so. 
Now, it must be admitted, some tinte since, the Creve-co-nirs 
had interfered in the East to protect some of their own 
class, but it must be borne in mind, that having seen them 
righted, they asked no more. Another strong point was, 
their assistance was asked. The Polanders acted differently; 
they went to right those whom they claimed, but when they 
had done so, they refused to leave. The committee sum¬ 
moned them to do so in vain. They demanded the pro¬ 
tectorate of all the top-knotted and crested breeds, and, 
accordingly, emleavoured to appropriate the class of Ghou- 
rooks altogether. This would spoil any exhibition, and the 
oppressed asked tlie help of the stronger classes. They 
answered the appeal, and several trials of strength had 
taken place. The Serai-ta-ook began it alone, and was 
everywhere victorious. The Crcve-cteurs and Dorkings next 
apjpeared on the scene, and success was still more strongly 
marked. The Colanders, tired of war, asked for this meeting, 
in order to arrange the classes amicably, to submit them to 
the managers and subscribers, and to hold their shows : 
without heart-burning or animosity. I 
The I'nJundcr rose immediately, and while he com- ' 
plimented the. Creve-cmur on the ability of his statement, 
felt bound to deny the correctness of many parts. If the I 
noble birds present meant to treat him as a conquered bird, i 
they might save time by dissolving the Congress at once, i 
He would admit he had met with reverses, but nothing j 
more, and they were far from irreparable. Although not ; 
successful in getting the princes, he had always been highly 
commended; and, as it was necessary to hold further com¬ 
petitions at the same place where they had been held ' 
before, as that was his home, while their birds had to be 
conveyed by railway and sea; as he was determined, until ' 
there was a more friendly spirit, to allow none of his pro- ^ 
visions to be used for them, it would be well if they asked ’ 
themselves whetlier it was not their interest, as well as his, 
to make peace. It was just possible, “ que le jeu ne valoit 1 
pas la chandelle.” 
Tlie G(nnt‘ cock here interrupted the speaker, by whisper¬ 
ing loud enough to be heard, that it was a Cossack simile. 
Every one smiled save the Pohtnder, who, after complaining, 
continued his speech. 
It was a mistake to say they had interfered unasked. 
The Crhoorooks Imd complained of the Seiai-ta ooks. Their 
burdens were intolerable. 
The Ghooroof: said, tliey thought so till they had tried the 
Polanders. 
The Amtrki)} said, all went on well with them now he 
protected them. 
The Ghonrook was about to answer angrily, when the 
Crevfi-cceiif begged the Polander might be allowed to pro¬ 
ceed. He did so, by saying that he repeated they only took 
jiossession of the classes because they were too weak to 
protect themselves, and from their position they were unalde 
to form anj' coalition. He quoted many authorities on ex- , 
liibition laws, among others, Andrews, Tlewitt, and Baily, to , 
prove that a weak class injured ratlier than helped a show, 
and that it should be united to a stronger, lest it should at 
any time cause difficulties. What, said the speaker, caused 
the Dorking and Creve-cot'ur to interfere now, but jealousy, 
lest by tlie union of all the Top-lcnotted classes they 
should become predominant. They said they wished to 
protect the weak : so did he. The classes were dying, if not 
dead, and he sought to restore them. He had a right to do 
so, although mb the same colour as himself.^ They were 
top-knotted, and held the same notions, and his master, as 
the head of the top-knotted tribes, claimed a right to tbe 
allegiance or protectorate of all of the same class. 
The Ghoorookx denied the truth of this assertion. It was 
perfectly true he was top-knotted, the same as the Polanders; 
he held the same opinions, but lie did not belong to them. 
It was the misfortune of his breed to live between the i 
Polauder and the Serai-ta-ook, and hitherto they had been 1 
in the position of the grain between the two mill-stones. ! 
They had to be ground. But this Congress was licid to ; 
remedy all grievances, and his breed now looked for their , 
rights. They belonged origin.ally to tbe Serai; and althougb 
tlu'y may have complained of their rule, they did not ask 
the intervention of the Polander. He came unasked, and 
swamped their class, d'hey were grateful for the inter- ; 
vention of the Dorking and Creve-comr, but if they did not 
now finish their work by putting them in a position to show 
committees of what they were cajaable, they would leave 
their work half finished. They knew they were not a strong 
class, but they did ask for a separate classification, although 
they might only exhibit with the Serais. 
The (Jotii/! Bantam said, he felt at home with the Creve- 
cmur and Dorking. He also shared with them all tbe ad¬ 
miration of the courage fd’ the Serai. He had taken arms, 
not becausi' he was of much irnpoitance, but Itecause be 
felt the cause was just, and because he had move faith in 
arms than diplomacy. He belonged to the. second - rati' 
classes, and be would tell tbe Dorking and Crcve-coair, that 
they had no idea of the annoyances to whii h those of his 
class were exposed from their neighbours of the first-class. 
Their entries were laughed at, and if they sent any one to 
represent their interests, he was exiduded, for all sorts of 
vexatious reasons, and treated with marked neglect. He, 
for one, was determined to submit to this no longer, and he 
would rather cease to exhibit. He would only refer to the 
late contest between himself and the Austrian about his re¬ 
presentative. 
The J thus appealed to, rose immediately, and the 
extraordinary appearance we have before noted was again 
distinctly visible. With an air of hauteur, he turned first 
to the Crcve-caair, and then to the Dorking, and as he 
titvned, his plumage assumed the hue of each breed. He 
said, these two powers were unquestionably right in the 
course tliey had taken, and he begged to congratulate them 
on that, and on their success; then, suddenly erecting a top 
knot, and turning to the Polander, he said, that he could not j 
find language to express his admiration of the noble stand : 
he. had made in vindicating that which was unquestionably j 
his duty. The poultry world, lie added, might depend, that j 
those whose interests he represented would follow' the i 
same straitforward course that had hitherto guided them in i 
all the difficulties of the late exhibitions. 
The Itorkimi said, he had listened with attention to all 
that had been said. He represented traders, and wished to 
h.ave common sense and business principles carried out in 
the decisions. All that had been said amounted to nothing. 
Arms had been taken because there were certain grievances, ; 
and would not be laid down until they were redressed. All j 
classes w'ere suffering from this state of antagonism, but he ; 
would much rather exhibitions stopped for ten years, than 
yield one jot of what he thought right. He had liad a good 
trade, and had taken many prizes in spite of all difficulties, 
he, therefore, warned all parties he was not disposed to 
make concessions. 
The Bliick In-iaoiti'd Game hoped that active opiu'ations 
would be continued until everytliing was positively settled. 
The Serai-ta-ook said, some speakers had seemed to think 
only his class was concerned; he believed every class was 
equally interested. 
With this the first silting terminated. 
ODDS AND ENDS FROM AIY NOTE BOOK. 
TEJirKr,.\TUUE AT WHICH IT IS DESIEAEI.E TO KEEP 
EGGS EOR HATCHING. 
We are told in most books to keep eggs for hatching 
closely covered with bran and at a uniform tempeiature; 
but no other eggs hatch so well as those in a stolen nest, . 
exposed to the alternation of temperature during the day 
and night, and warmed frequently by the bens laying ad- ! 
dilional eggs. Query—Is the artificial or the natural plan j 
the better one ? 
EGGS RECENTLY I.AIH HO NOT HATCH SOONER THAN OTHERS. 
I have recently been hatching some Swan, or Chinese 
